Written by Mike Foley

Don’t miss Herb Berg’s (HBK Engineering) upcoming presentation in the Friends of Downtown’s Brown Bag Series.

Thursday, August 6th
12:15 pm
Chicago Cultural Center
Millennium Room

Many Chicagoans are unaware of the labyrinth network of freight tunnels beneath the city. There are over 47 miles under the central business district alone. The tunnels rose to prominence in 1992 when one such tunnel was pierced during construction and 124 million gallons of water from the Chicago River poured through the network and into the basements of many downtown buildings, knocking out electric power and natural gas service.

It was this incident that was largely responsible for the formulation of the “Board of Underground,” or as it is known today, the “Office of Underground Coordination,” a section of the Department of Transportation, specifically designed to ensure close scrutiny of proposed substructure construction. Since then, Chicago Building Permits, with sub-structure construction, have not been issued prior to OUC ruling out any sub-structure conflicts, through close coordination with utility companies and other entities with sub-structure considerations.

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Written by Mike Foley

Chicago’s Old Post Office goes on the auction block in August. The old beast of a building (three million square feet) has stumped many redevelopment schemes to include: hotel, condos, telecoms, casino, water park, etc. Its sheer size, location and price make it an enticing acquisition. No one knows quite what to do with it. Demolishing the building seems cost prohibitive, but maintaining it isn’t cheap either with annual maintenance costs at two million dollars and hefty property taxes as well. Yet who can imagine securing the gargantuan construction loan it would take for such a monumental redevelopment, especially in this market? The Postal Service has recouped a little money as a periodic Hollywood filming location – notable credits include “Batman Begins” and “The Dark Night”. Despite occasional filming opportunities, the Postal Service is ready to cut their losses.

Dave Roeder recently spotlighted Reuben Hedlund’s idea of making it a high-speed rail hub. With the Obama administration seeking to allocate billions of stimulus money toward high-speed rail, it may be the only realistic redevelopment funding option. The former Chicago Plan Commission Chairman stresses, “the old post office building would be the perfect central station for high-speed rail, given its unique collection of railroad tracks with access to all of the trunk lines service Chicago, with indoor parking available for more than 400 automobiles.”

Although it has been mentioned as a  possible site for the Olympic Village, I can’t see housing Olympic athletes in a building that spans the Eisenhower Expressway. It would be a security nightmare. With UIC directly to the West, I wonder if the University has ever considered acquisition schemes.

It will be fascinating to see who rolls the dice and what their plan is.

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Written by Mike Foley

I just visited the newly christened Pritzker Park at State & Van Buren in Chicago. While it’s nice to have a little more green space in the Loop, it does feel like there is something missing…people! The absence of any seating definitely drives away the lunch crowd. A few people were sitting on concrete ledge along the State Street sidewalk. They didn’t look comfortable. I am told that the outfit that provided the bus shelters will be providing seating eventually and that should help. Much of the concrete appears to be permeable, adding a nice environmental touch.

OK, the park doesn’t exactly inspire awe, but in fairness, I don’t think it was ever intended to do so. I think the intent was to give State Street denizens some desperately needed outdoor space beside sidewalks. And although it’s been a recent haven for panhandlers and swarms of pigeons, the corner has potential. Situated between the Harold Washington Library and John Marshall Law School and across the street from DePaul and Robert Morris College it may well become a popular outdoor spot. It also offers a smaller venue for free concerts and cultural events.

But the spot is not without some challenges. It’s been a magnet for vagrants for years. The southwest corner of the park directly faces about twenty dumpsters from the Plymouth Restaurant. Without some form of screening, it’s hard to imagine that area of park flourishing. Some also worry the huge student population, coupled with so much concrete landscaping may inadvertently result in the Pritzker ‘Skateboard” Park. I’m uncertain if the park will receive 24/7 security once the full amenities are in place, but it would seem a prudent step to keep the park from being hopelessly marred by graffiti and vandalism. Critics question the advisability of locating a park next to a major L-stop, and the prevalence of concrete landscaping, but it’s impossible to make everyone happy. I’m glad to see a new park amidst the hustle and bustle of State Street – properly maintained, it may become a terrific addition to the State Street cultural landscape.

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The NYC Department of Buildings is enacting a new zoning review process this month that is aimed at giving the public greater access to what projects are being proposed in the city. The review, called the “develpment challenge process,” allows for the general public to challenge zoning approval issued by the department.

This enactment is interesting for many reasons. For one, the process is proposed to occur after the initial zoning review has been completed by the Department of Buildings. This not only places a greater sense of accountability on the department plan examiner, but also gives an inventive to the public to understand the facets of the NYC Zoning Resolution. The possibility of a savvy resident disapproving a plan examiners approval based on actual references to an ordinance seems very possible and somewhat unprecedented and interesting. While such public review models may exist in some form within planning and landmarks departments across the country, I think most building departments have rarely used this type of open review for the community. The willingness of the department to open itself to public comment is commendable in this sense.

Written by Bradd Hout

Aside from the interesting scenario noted above, the programs true intention is to provide residents with an increased ability to review the proposed projects in their neighborhood. I would agree that the public has a right to know and comment on new buildings in their area and this only reinforces this right. The resolution of conflicts that could be caused with an overload of comments and/or delays in review times will ultimately decide how successful this program becomes. In any event, the NYC Department of Buildings has certainly taken a step forward in becoming more transparent and accessible to the general public.

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Written by Demetrius James

The Certificate of Occupancy section of the NY Department of Buildings has shortened hours for application submission. Their new hours are 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., allowing the department more time to process applications.

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Written by Mike Foley

Check out the results of the 3rd annual Chicago Canstruction competition, which raised 70,000 cans of food for the Chicago Greater Food Depository. It’s another great example of people finding creative ways to make things better. I’m partial to the “make no small cans” entry. Click to learn more about Canstruction events in your area.

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Written by Mike Foley

Misericordia is the Latin translation of the Hebrew word ‘hesed’, or loving-kindness in English. What a perfect way to describe the amazing work being done at 6300 N. Ridge Road in Chicago.

Misericordia supports 550 individuals with developmental disabilities. The much needed assistance includes: residential placement and day-to-day support, job training and employment opportunities, physical, occupational and speech therapy, fitness and healthy living guidance, social and recreational outings, etc.

If you live in the Chicago-land area you may have seen the canners collecting during one of their annual Candy Day events or the bakeshop goodies at the local Farmers’ Markets.

Street corner fund raising feels a little awkward at first as busy commuters zoom past you, but the awkward feeling quickly disappears as the generosity of strangers quickly begins to build. With a beep, a wave or a friendly smile people say, “Misericordia is the best. Keep up the great work”. It’s hard not to be moved by all the positive energy during a Candy Day drive. The 2009 drive raised $858,803. Executive Director, Sister Rosemary Connelly, says it best when she stresses “together we are making a difference.”

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Written by Mike Foley

Another exciting announcement from the Sears (soon to be Willis) Tower. Glass balconies have been added to the Skydeck. Visitors can now walk 103 stories above the street on 1.5 inches of glass, nicknamed “The Ledge”,  which actually retracts into the building for cleaning and maintenance. This follows on the heels of the announcement of a 350 million green renovation to its exterior including wind turbines.

Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the project team also included MTH Industries and Berglund Construction. Initial reviews suggest the “walking on thin air” experience is a hit as giddy visitors exclaim their heart is pounding well afterward. Don’t be alarmed if the kids next to you are jumping up and down when you visit, the actual stability of the glass is said to have3 been tested at weights up to 5 tons – exceeding the city code requirement by 3 tons.

Crains Chicago Business posted a video on “The Ledge“.

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Written by Mike Foley

Mother Nature Network listed the top seven eco-friendly mayors in an article titled America’s eco-mayors. What an honor to be in the top seven, but what about smaller municipalities? Surely other mayors across America are implementing innovative eco-friendly programs.

Hats off to the top listed here in alphabetical order:

• Michael Bloomberg – New York
• Richard Daley – Chicago
• Shirley Franklin – Atlanta
• John Hickenlooper – Denver
• Gavin Newsom – San Francisco
• Greg Nickels – Seattle
• Bill White – Houston

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Written by Nolan Ming

The city of Fort Worth has implemented a plan to charge a minimum of $19.00 if they need a second revision. This procedure has been enacted in hopes of speeding up the plan review times by reducing the amount of partial submittals that require several revision reviews. I would argue that other municipalities should follow this process and reduce wasted time for everyone participating in the permitting process.

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